Car carrier escapes pirates

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. says that its operated car carrier Jasmine Ace was fired on by pirates in two high-speed boats about 480 miles (about 900 km) east of Somalia around at 22:10 JST on Sunday, March 22 (local time: 16:10 on March 22).

The vessel had loaded 377 used cars at the port of Sharjah in United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, March 17, and was under way to Mombasa, Kenya.

The ship 13,038 gt Cayman Islands flagged ship sustained some damage to the hull, but quickly accelerated and took evasive action such as zigzagging. After about 40 minutes, the pirates gave up chasing her at 22:50 on Sunday, March 22.

No one was injured in the attack, and no oil leaked from the hull. Bullets also damaged some windows in the wheelhouse, but the Jasmine Ace and its crew of 18 Filipinos continues under its own power, and is now proceeding toward safer waters.